Your Donations Matter!




Please donate your vehicle to us.

HELP US HELP A LOT OF KIDS in dire need.

Call

650-265-1193

By participating in our FREE Vehicle Donation Program where YOU get to help us! A major source of our financial support is from vehicle donations. In the process, you may get a great tax advantage yourself.

     

LOS ANGELES YOUTH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES:
Who We Are, What We Do, And How YOU Can Help!

Dear Friend,

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce L.A. Youth Supportive Services,Inc.(LAYSS) to you. We are recognized by the IRS as a nonprofit charitable organization.

The purpose LAYSS is to provide crisis intervention, counseling, social and supportive services to adolescents and young adults, in the Hollywood/West Hollywood area, who are at risk for social exploitation, AIDS, suicide, substance abuse, criminal victimization and homelessness. It is our mission to do whatever is necessary to insure that our clients will have all the support, guidance, life-skills and education they need to successfully navigate through the minefield called adolescence and emerge as successful adults. We also maintain a national toll-free, 24/7 hotline

Our program is unique in that we are committed to use only counselors who are masters' level mental health counseling professionals; that our professional counseling staff do their own out-reach, taking their services to the youth, in the youth's own environments; and that all our clients have 24 hour a day, seven days a week access to someone on the counseling staff that they already know and trust!

Our success is impressive. During the many years that we worked with youth on the streets of Hollywood, CA, we were instrumental in assisting an average of 25 youth per year to move from street prostitution and homelessness to more responsible and safer living situations. We have also provided the counseling and supportive services to countless other youth, in person and by phone, so that they could either remain home or transition to emancipation, and avoid the horrors of homelessness and survival sex.

A number of years ago, the U.S. Congress changed the rules for how vehicles donated to our organization are to be valued for the purposes of calculating the amount that the donor can claim for a deduction. Formally, they could claim the fair book value (Kelly Blue Book value). Now they can only claim the amount that we receive when we sell the vehicle. Most donors opted to sell their car themselves instead of donating to us. The result was that out income, most of which came from vehicle donations fell from about $140,000/year to about $12,000 the following and subsequent years. We had to cut back drastically on our services, including the closing of our drop-in center/office.

Our main activity now is maintaining a crisis line where youth and young adults from all over the U.S. can call, 24/7, when they need counseling and coaching both at times of personal crisis on on-going. We also provide coaching for parents of teens.

I am asking for your suppose at this critical time. Although all our staff at this time are volunteers, including myself, it still takes a lot of money to keep our hotlines up and running.. We are are despirately in need of a web based CRS system so that we can expand the number of on-call, volunteer therapists and counselors. To continue, LAYSS needs private funding until governmental funds again become available. Your generous contributions help us keep this vital program alive.
Your tax-deductible (IRS #95-4534972) contribution will allow us to continue to be the safely net for teens and young adults across the nation who are without any local support. Although there are other agencies that touch some of their lives, LAYSS is the only one that provides them with 24 hour a day, 7 days a week access to a Masters level counselor that they can know and trust!

Without your assistance, these young people will be forced to fend for themselves. They are counting on you. Please mail your check to L.A. Youth Supportive Services, Inc. at PO Box 6340, North Hollywood, CA 91603 For more information, please call me at 650-265-1193.

Thank you in advance,
Jason Wittman, MPS
Executive Director

PLEASE BECOME A PARTNER FOR YOUTH!

As a Partner For Youth, all that we ask is that you pledge $10 a month (less than the cost of a good dinner) or more, if you wish. Our goal is to find 1000 Partners For Youth.

This financial safety net will insure that there will always be at least a minimum acceptable level of support for our youth. Please join me and the LAYSS Board of Directors as a Partner For Youth. At your direction, we can monthly charge your pledge to your Visa, Mastercard or American Express account.


Please print out this form, fill it out and send it to:
L.A. Youth Supportive Services, Inc.
North Hollywood, CA 91603

Yes, Jason, I want to join you as a Partner For Youth. I want to make sure that you and LAYSS will always be there for our kids!

Name:___________________________________________

Address:________________________________________

City, State, Zip:____________________________________

Telephone No. -Home (____)______________________

Telephone No. -Work (____)______________________

___My check for $________ is enclosed.

___Please charge $________ monthly____ one time only____ to my ___Visa ___Mastercard ___American Express

Card Number:___________________________ Exp. Date:__________

Signature:______________________________________

please print name as it appears on card:__________________________

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Please write to Jason Wittman, the Executive Director with your comments and questions.

Copyright © 1996-2014, Los Angeles Youth Supportive Services, Inc. All rights reserved.